Mobile structure for handling flat articles

ABSTRACT

The structure referred to finds particular use with a machine for feeding paperboard blanks to a carton forming machine, for example.

United States Patent 1191 Friel Dec. 25, 1973 MOBILE STRUCTURE FOR HANDLING FLAT ARTICLES [56] References Cited [75] Inventor: James J. Friel, Miami, Fla. UNITED STATES PATENTS [73] Assignee: Container Corporation of America, 2,707,568 5/1955 Jackson 214/85 R Chicago m 3,680,715 8/1972 Montgomery 214/1 QE [22] Filed: 1973 Primary Examiner-Robert G. Sheridan [21] Appl. No.: 332,257 Attorney-Carpenter, Ostis & Lindberg Related US. Application Data [62] Division of Ser. No. 196,482, Nov., 1971. [57] I ABSTRACT The structure referred to finds particular use with a [52] US. Cl. 214/1 QE a hin for feeding paperboard blanks to a carton [51] Int. Cl. B65g 7/00 f rming machine, for example. [58] Field of Search 214/1 Q, 1 QB, 8.5 R,

2l4/8.5 B, 8.5 SS

2 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEDm-zs 1975 3,780,881

SHEET 2 [IF 3 PATENTED DEC 25 m 780.8 1 SHEET 30F 3 I MOBILE STRUCTURE FOR HANDLING FLAT ARTICLES This application is a division of application Ser. No. 196,482, filed November 1971, for STRUCTURE FOR HANDLING STACKED FLAT ARTICLES.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The structure according to the present invention finds particular use in the reception of stacked articles arranged in rows thereof, the structure having a first position for receiving the row of stacked articles, and a second position where the stacks are caused to be supported along the edges thereof with each stack of articles disposed in an imbricating relationship different from the imbricating relationship of an adjacent stack.

The structure may be part of a vehicle movable to a position where the rows of stacks of the articles may be advanced onto a conveyer or feeder mechanism. By reason of the varying imbrication, the discrete articles of each stack are prevented from interleaving with the discrete articles of an adjacent stack.

2. The prior Art Jackson U.S. Pat. No. 2,707,568 (Class 214/85) discloses structure for tilting a single stack of flat articles such as carton blanks from a vertical position thereof to a reclined position where individual articles may be fed from the reclining stack. Criger U.S. Pat. No. 2,7l6,500 (Class 2 l4/309) shows structure for engaging a single vertical stack of crates or the like and moving same to a reclining position where the articles may be moved on an endless conveyer. Heide et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,521,763 (Class 2 14/8.5) also shows structure for engaging a single vertical stack and for removing same to a somewhat reclined position for subsequent engagement of the articles from the reclining stack.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The structure according to the present invention constitutes an improvement over the prior art in that more than one stack of articles may be handled at a time. The invention comprehends structure for receiving a row of stacked articles and then rearranging the position thereon when the same is rocked to what may be considered a reclining position. Structureis provided to vary the imbrication of the articles of one stack with respect to the articles of an adjacent stack, so that the rows may be moved laterally of the longitudinal axes thereof onto a conveyor or feed mechanism or the like without the possibility of interleaving of the articles of one stack with the articles of an adjacent stack.

DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevational view showing a plurality of vertical stacks of flat articles such as carton blanks or the like arranged in a plurality of rows, said stacks being stored on a pallet;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the pallet showing a pallet pad or web interposed between the bottoms of the stacks and a load bearing surface of the pallet engaged by nip rolls for moving the stacks on the pallet;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view similar to FIG. 1, and showing structure according to the present invention in a position for receiving stacked articles which have been advanced to a delivery position from the pallet seen in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view showing the structure moved to a position where the stacks of articles thereon are arranged in varying degrees of imbricating relationship;

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing the pallet of FIGS. 1 and 2, and the structure of FIGS. 3 and 4, arranged in relationship to a feeder mechanism or conveyer arranged to receive a stack of articles; and

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of the feeder mechanism seen in FIG. 5.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a pallet l 1 having a plurality of vertical stacks 12 of flat articles such as carton blanks or the like stored thereon. The stacks of flat articles are designated as being in rows R1, R2, R3, and R4, and the rows are moved seriatim, so that the foremost row is delivered to the structure according to the present invention and indicated generally by the reference numeral 13. Preferably, structure 13 is transportable to position for delivery of the articles thereon to a conveyer or prefeeder referred to generally by the reference numeral 15, see also FIG. 6.

Pallet 11 has a plurality of pallet feet 16 which are spaced as shown whereby tines of a lift truck or the like may be introduced under a load bearing deck 17 to lift pallet 11. The stacked articles arranged in the rows R1 to R4 inclusive rest upon a pallet pad or web 18 interposed between the bottom of the stacked articles and the load bearing deck 17. The free end 19 of the web 18 is engaged between a pair of nip rolls 21 and 22, these being mounted for rotation and supported in spaced frames 23 and 24, see FIG. 2. A drive motor 26 is arranged to drive nip roll 21 to cause all of the rows of the stacked articles to be moved with respect to the load supporting deck 17.

Structure 13 is adapted to receive foremost row R1 which has been advanced by themoving web 18, and consists of a frame 27 having a lower abutment 28 and ground engaging means 29 for transport thereof. Structure 13 has handles 31 which may be engaged by an operator to rock the same from the position seen in FIG. 3 to the position seen in FIG. 4.

Upon such rotation or pivoting movement to the position seen in FIG. 4, the stacked articles loaded thereon are caused to adopt an imbricating relationship in a given stack which differs from the imbrication of an adjacent stack to prevent interleaving of thearticles of one stack with the articles of another adjacent stack. To this end, see FIG. 5, structure 13 is provided with a plurality of stops 32, 33, 34, and 36, each of which is supported by an arm 37 which extends from the frame 27. Each arm 37 has brackets 38 extending therefrom overlying frame 27 in spaced relationship thereto as seen particularly in FIG. 4. Each of the brackets has one of the stops members 32, 33, 34, or 36 secured thereto, and it will be seen by the positioning of the stop members that the shingling or imbrication of the articles of each row will be different from the articles of an adjacent row.

Structure is provided for pushing the stacks from structure 13 onto the prefeeder mechanism 15, and such structure consists of a pusher plate 39 having a pivotal connection 41 to a pusher bar 42 which can be activated by any suitable mechanism. The operation of the pusher plate 39 is to push the most remote of the reclining stacks onto the prefeeder mechanism 15. It will be noted that the stops are so arranged that the imbricating stacks will clear the same as the stacks are pushed by the pusher bar 42.

Referring now to FIG. 5, the prefeeder mechanism consists ofa first orbitally movable conveyer 43 having a conveying reach 44 and a return reach 46, the two reaches being trained about a driving roller 47, an idler roller 48, and a reversing roller 49. The articles on the conveyer 43 are moved to a second orbitally movable conveyer belt 51 having a conveying reach 52 and a return reach 53, conveyer 51 being driven by a driving roller 54, and including idler roller 56, and a reversing roller 57 which is co-axial with the driving roller 47 of conveyer 43. Conveying reach 52 moves along an arcuate frame 58, and individual articles are removed from the stack on conveyer 43 by means of picker members 59 disposed at the discharge end of the stacked articles on the conveyer 43.

The articles are moved by the conveying reach 52 in a shingled relationship as shown and are constrained in such movement by a third endless conveyer 61 having a conveying reach 62 and a return reach 63. The two reaches are trained about idler rollers 66, 67 and 68. A slack adjusting roller 69 is provided in the return reach 63. The articles being delivered by the third conveyer 61 move past a jogging mechanism 71 and are deposited onto a hopper H. The height of the stack in the hopper H is controlled by a stack control referred to generally by the reference numeral 72.

The articles within hopper H are delivered by an endless belt conveyer 73 having a conveying reach 74 and return reach 76, the two reaches being trained between pulleys 77 and 78. Conveyer 73 delivers the articles one at a time to a gluing or other mechanism for treatment of the individual blanks as desired.

It may be noted that the precise form of the conveyer mechanism seen in FIG. 6 forms no part of the present invention and is described in detail merely to illustrate the disposition of the articles which have been displaced from structure 13.

After the most remote of the stacks have been moved by the pusher 39 from structure 13 to the conveyer l5, and after such stack has been removed by the conveyer 15, the next stack of articles is placed on the conveyer 15 for treatment as before.

It may be noted that by reason of the different imbricating relationship of two adjacent stacks, the articles of one stack are prevented from interleaving with the articles of an adjacent stack. After all of the articles have been removed from structure 13, it is moved back to the position adjacent pallet 11 where the next succeeding row R2 is advanced by the web 18 to be delivered to the vehicle 13, the operations being repeated as before.

l claim:

1. Structure for loading of a plurality of stacks of flat articles such as carton blanks or the like arranged in a row comprising:

a. a frame;

b. said frame being movable between a first position for receiving said row of stacks and a second position for delivery of said stacks therefrom in directions laterally of the longitudinal axes of said stacks;

c. means on said frame operable to cause each stack to adopt a different angle of imbrication from an adjacent stack upon movement of said frame to said second position.

2. Structure according to claim 1 wherein said means comprises stop members extending over said frame in spaced relation thereto and disposed at varying distances from an end of said frame. 

1. Structure for loading of a plurality of stacks of flat articles such as carton blanks or the like arranged in a row comprising: a. a frame; b. said frame being movable between a first position for receiving said row of stacks and a second position for delivery of said stacks therefrom in directions laterally of the longitudinal axes of said stacks; c. means on said frame operable to cause each stack to adopt a different angle of imbrication from an adjacent stack upon movement of said frame to said second position.
 2. Structure according to claim 1 wherein said means comprises stop members extending over said frame in spaced relation thereto and disposed at varying distances from an end of said frame. 